A 2022 analysis of 36 cancer types across 185 countries suggests that almost 40% of new cancer cases could be linked to modifiable risk factors such as smoking, infections, and alcohol use. Published in Nature Medicine, the study highlights the importance of targeted prevention strategies.
Researchers estimated that 7.1 million of 18.7 million new cancer cases worldwide were potentially preventable, including 2.7 million in women and 4.3 million in men. Leading contributors were tobacco (15.1%), infections (10.2%), and alcohol (3.2%), with lung, stomach, and cervical cancers accounting for nearly half of these cases.
Globally, infections like HPV and H. pylori were the main risk for women (11.5% of cases), while smoking was the top risk for men (23.1%). Geographic trends varied: women in sub-Saharan Africa had the highest burden from modifiable factors (38.2%), while men in East Asia were most affected (57.2%).
The findings underscore opportunities for prevention through tobacco control, infection prevention, and region-specific strategies. The authors note that better cancer and risk factor data, especially in low- and middle-income countries, are needed to improve estimates and guide policies.
https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-02-cancers-worldwide.html
